Over 100 developers at Avalanche Studios Group, famed for the Just Cause games and the upcoming Xbox-exclusive Contraband, have joined the Swedish trade union, Unionen. Representing over a fifth of the company's roughly 500 employees, the members have also formed a local bargaining board to negotiate with management about the terms of their employment.

Avalanche Studios has never hosted union negotiations in its two-decade history, making this a groundbreaking move. Swedish unions have a rich history and are deeply integrated within companies and labor laws, and about 70% of the Swedish population are union members.

Trade unions in Sweden can negotiate common working conditions, including salaries and sick leave, but may also act at a company level for more comprehensive negotiations if they have enough employee members. Local union boards can even have a say in significant company decisions, such as hiring, firing, and adding C-suite members.

One potential negotiation point is the implementation of a four-day working week for the employees. However, specifics about the bargaining topics are not currently disclosed. Any agreed contract will be valid for two years, after which a new negotiation process will happen.

The ongoing negotiations have shown positive signs, according to both parties. An Avalanche spokesperson stated that the company supports initiatives that help create a conducive environment for employees.

This unionization follows a collective move last November when Avalanche employees prompted management to publicly apologize for hiring a top figure accused of inappropriate behavior toward women at his previous workplace. The move aligns Avalanche with other game studios in a growing gaming industry's labor movement, like Sega, Workinman Interactive, Blizzard Albany, and others.